Introduction: Bidimensional echocardiography is a non-invasive imaging diagnostic method that effectively assesses global and regional left ventricular diastolic function. Disruption of left ventricular diastolic function in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is almost always clinically silent, suggesting a subclinical diastolic dysfunction.
Objective: We evaluate in the the present study the different echocardiographic techniques available to assess the diastolic dysfunction in SLE.
Patients and methods: Fifty consecutive SLE patients and 50 healthy females, matched by gender and age, were evaluated. Exams were conducted by two independent observers whose results showed concordance.
Results: Significant differences in global left ventricular diastolic function between both groups, except for mitral flow propagation velocity (Vp), which showed a reduction in rapid filling in SLE patients, were not observed. Greater involvement of regional diastolic function, in protodiastole, at the level of the mitral ring, especially in the basal area of the interventricular septum, was observed.
Conclusion: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in SLE patients can be identified by tissue Doppler of the mitral ring and by mitral flow propagation velocity.